Caring for Your Family
Why I’m ditching the super parent fantasy in 2019
January brings relaxing times and quieter days for some but not all. For parents of young kids and babies, the family tempo may have reduced marginally from manic sprint to marathon jog. But it’s unlikely your ‘holiday’ was filled with breezy afternoons napping, swimming, and relaxing unencumbered by the ties of responsibility. You had kids…
Read MoreWhy we do what we do: the Parental Leave Equality campaign 2018
As we look back on this busy and jam-packed year, we’re feeling a little proud of Parents At Work. Much of our effort this year has been campaigning to get the message of #ParentalLeaveEquality out there – and we know from our work with employers that we have paved the way for introducing better…
Read MoreMy Kid’s Starting Kindy! 10 Top Tips + The Big Question: What age do we send them?
In Australia, parents are charged with the decision on when they send their children to school – at either 4+ years of age, or 5+ years. This turned out to be a far more complex decision than I had anticipated. Why can’t we do it like it is in New Zealand where children start school…
Read MoreDads care too – recognising the rights and needs of fathers as carers
It’s 70 years today since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – it’s a day to reflect, as a global community, that we must continue to strive for the advancement of human rights for all. This year, Parents At Work has been advocating for #ParentalLeaveEquality. It’s about equally supporting both mothers and fathers to enable…
Read MoreSuffering from caring fatigue? Yes, it’s a thing
I care, deeply. I care about the impact I have on others – my kids and partner, their happiness and wellbeing; my whole family and friend circle; my team, colleagues and clients and their families; my local school, my local community, equality, climate change, world peace . . . you get the picture. I worry…
Read MoreAchieving Parental Leave Equality Sydney: Roundtable Discussion Report
‘Despite the rapid rate in which mothers have returned to the workforce over the past 10 – 20 years, there has been almost zero shift in the percentage of men taking up parental leave or opting to stay at home as the primary carer.’ – Excerpt from Roundtable Discussion Report The first national roundtable…
Read MoreThe bad news that motivates us even more: parental leave progress stalled
WGEA have just released their latest Gender Equality Scorecard for 2017-2018, and it’s not great news – especially for parental leave equality. As we look back on five years of equality progress in Australia, there are some wins and there are definitely some losses. “There are a few problem areas. Access to parental leave has…
Read MoreDads, Emotions & Keeping it Real – Gus Worland Interview
You don’t need to look further than an 8-year-old boy’s soccer game on a Saturday afternoon to watch young boys have 1950’s phrases thrown at them by adults; “harden up princess”, “boys don’t cry”, “toughen up, mate”, “don’t be a sook”, “don’t be a girl”, “get over it”…the list goes on and on. Men’s…
Read MoreAlternatives to Paid Parental Leave that make you an Employer of Choice to industry top talent
Parents At Work recently launched Advancing Parental Leave Equality and Introducing Shared Care in Australia: the business case for action – a whitepaper developed alongside WGEA’s recently launched Best Practice Employer Guide: Developing a Leading Practice Parental Leave Policy. Many small businesses believe that Paid Parental Leave and other family-friendly policies are too far out…
Read MoreCarer of Many: The inspiring story of one ‘burnt-out to thriving’ carer – Caring for Carers Series
As part of National Carers Week, Mother of 7, Sharon Gavioli, joins us in Episode 3 of the Caring for Carers Podcast Series; ‘Carer of Many‘. Here she shares her inspiring story from a burnt-out, overwhelmed carer, to a thriving carer in all her roles. Sharon is a registered nurse and adult educator who…
Read More